The present invention relates to jewelry, and, more particularly, to jewelry using small novel gemstones set in metallic findings.
For many centuries, skilled artisans have been producing jewelry by setting gemstones in findings of various metals, and such gemstones have been of various configurations and sizes. As is well known, highly attractive and unique jewelry can be produced by using smaller gemstones by modifying the patterns in which they appear within the finding and by varying the sizes of the gemstones in a given finding. Although such gemstones have been cut in various shapes, generally they are faceted and highly polished in order to provide a high degree of brilliance. As a result, care must be given during the cutting and polishing operations, and frequently a significant portion of the uncut gemstone is lost during the cutting and faceting operations necessary to produce the desired facet configuration.
Although some gemstones have been cut in cylindrical form, these have been of large size (typically 8 mm by 15 mm) and usually strung on silk or chain to make bead type necklaces.
Typically, the baguettes for mounting in findings, with or without large gemstones, are small gemstones cut to the same size for mounting in a particular finding; they are all faceted and the assemblage in the item of jewelry tends to have a polygonal geometric appearance because of the polygonal configuration of the gemstones.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel item of jewelry utilizing small cylindrical gemstones which are mounted within a recess formed in the finding.
It is also an object to provide such a jewelry item which may be fabricated readily and in which the gemstones are firmly engaged.
Still another object is to provide a method for making jewelry items using small cylindrical gemstones which method lends itself to wide variation in the nature of the findings and the appearance of the ultimate jewelry item.